St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-11-26

I
machinery within that great exposition
at Philadelphia. ~.
Our delegation in Washington felt
that the question was TO be settlen
there. 1t is natural for men under all
circumstances, perhaps, to e1aggerate
their own Importance, and the I'M
porJance of the matter with when
they are particularly connected. IL
was the
DELIBERATE JUDGMENT
of our delegation that II the federal
government could be prevented from
interposlng tine United States army IN
the affairs of Louisiana that the people
by their bravery, self-sacrlhce ana pa
trlotism would be able to establish Tor
themselves their own government, &C
cording to their own Will ana pleasure.
Feeling the weight OF this RESPONSE
bilitv | wrote to Governor Nichols TO
send on somebody to aid and assist us
in Washington. l requested HIM to
send Colonel Bush, my nelghbor ana
friend and his neighbor and TREND IN
the southern part of the state, Dut he
wrote to me that Colonel Bush was
sneaker of the house of representatives
and could not be spared. then wrote
for him to send Judge +. ID. W hlte, VINO
was his neighbor and TREND ana mine,
hut the governor replied 10 mo thab
White could not be spared. as his pres
ence wasnecessary to preserve aquorum
of the senate.
7 felt that the main thing was to
strengthen General Grant in his purpose
not to interfere by military power IN
the affairs of the state, and while he mad
informed me that he would not do 1t ne
had remarked, i'll his quiet way, that II
there wasa hair of a mans head touched
he would nut an end to the situation III
the state by exerting the power Of the
government. You can see IRON this
through what a crisis we were passing.
General Nichols replied that he could
not spare either White or Bush, but
that
MAJOR BURKE
was going to Washington III charge of
the Tilden election matters and how
would he do? | replied that If he
possessed his confidence that he would
do.
| ask Governor Nichols if l do not
make a correct statement and if his
recollection is clear as to this matter.
IGovernor Nichols replied IN the az
tirmatlye.
You will remember that the other day
Major Burke seemed to take otfense at
NV statement of these facts. ! intended
no otfense to Major Burke. | was re-
citing, as [ thought, in a simple and
connected way, the narrative OF those
transactions by which the great ma
chinery of self-goverument IN Louisiana
had been started. l was according to
INN, as | thought, ali the praise and
credit he deserved and IL niche in the
temple where the memories and SER
vices of the sons of Louisiana who
served her IN the dark days of her trial
shall be recorded: but Major Burke
seemed to take Otfense at this state
ment and went on to give the reasons
which induced Governor Nichols to
send him TO Washington. Perhaps he
did not know he had been sent to Wash
ington at my request. After preceding
with his speech he SAID, it l remem Der
correctly, that he had adopted in Feb
ruary, 1877, some plan, what he is
pleased TO call the
"OUACHITA PLAN"
and applied it 10 The house OF represent
atives, and that from the time he began
the application of the "Ouachlta plan.
to the house of representatives., of
which | was member, that l was sick,
and that W hon the Ouachlta plan ceased
to be applied that Gibson was well"
Fell0w-citiZens, | must thank the
gentleman for what appear to be his
daily bulletins concerning my health
and the health of the members of the
Louisiana delegation appointed by the
people of Louisiana and representing
them officially.
/ tried TO be hospltable and kind and
serviceable to him when he came to
Washington under the circumstances
to which | have alluded. / do not be-
Ileve General Nichols would have sent
NJ rlra nrn "a m N In
ington unless | had requested him to
send some one.
On NV arrival at Monroe. few mo-
ments ago, find these volumes OF the
presidential election investigation of
1876, which contain the majors testl-
mony before tue congressional commit
tee. | never gav3 any testimony as to
Wat did i'll Washington, nor nave l
ever published the hundreds of dis
patches and letters that passed be-
tween Governor Nichols and myself.
In looking over the majors testimony
given in July. 1878, | see a telegram of
Feb. 26, 1877, to Governor Nichols,
which concludes: Gibson is SICK" l
der date of Feb. IS another telegram,
which says: Gibson recovered; Ellis
sick to-day"
1t appears according to the majors
that l was sick for two
DAYS, and that when | recovered my
friend and colleague. L. Jonn Ellis, was
taken sick. | don't know whether 1t
was the adoption of the OuachIta plan
that made me sicK or not-llaEght -
or whether it was the Ouachita plan
that was too much for Ellis, and laid
him up. | have not been able to dis
cover what the Ouachlta plan is. | am
inclined to think we'll of the Ouachita
plan, or anything done in Ouachita.
There are great many people here for
whom I have the hi CHEST respect and
admiration. There is no part of the
people of Louisiana whose friendship
would desire more, whether | were
IN public life or not, than that
of the brave and fear less men of
Ouachita, and / am glad to see
so many of them here, and [
know this patriot General Nicholls) is
gratified to behold such an assemblage
of the ladies of Ouachita here. We
have assembled before us to-day the
beauty and chivalry, the fair daughters
and manly sonsof Ouachita. Whatever
may be the differences of opinion be-
tween the men of our state, know
that the women will never forget their
husbands, fathers and sons who went
out in the war for the confedefacy, and
whether the men feel estranged or not
from me or from General Nichols. my
friend and companion in boyhood and
comrade in the army, our fair country
women look with kindly and indulgent
eyes upon all old soldiers. Applause
| see some other places marked in
MAJOR BURKE's TESTIMONY,
and especially the following:
by Mr.. Butler of Massachusetts
@. Mr.. Gibson was prominent IN act
ing with you in all matters concernin g
Louisiana affairs?
A. In all matters touching the affairs
of Louisiana there was perfect harmony
between the Louisiana delegation and
myself, and upon that point [ would
say that whilst this correspondence
and this investi CATION have thrown my
name more prominently for ward in con-
necrion with these events than those
gentlemen thew are unite as much con-